The Bounty of Giants
by JSullivan
Summary: Sequel to 'Twisted Fate' this story follows Constantine as he makes himself known to his teenage daughter and faces the question of whether or not he should have brought her back from the dead...
1. The Bounty of Giants

**The Bounty of Giants - Sequel to 'Twisted Fate'**

**Please see 'Twisted Fate' to completely see where this story originates from, but even then you might not see where I'm going with this so please be aware that theres a period of about20 years between the two stories :)**

Theodora Harrison moved silently about the house trying her best to not let the creaks from her home's old wooden stairs wake her sleeping parents in their upstairs bedroom. She could still hear the buzzing motor of her best friend's car racing down her street trying to make curfew. Theodora had missed hers by about two hours which left her in the present state of trying painfully to not make a sound.

"Theo?" Came the groggy call of her mother from the dark upstairs hallway. Freezing instantaneously Theodora held her breath as the call came again, seeking in the shadows. "Theo, is that you?"

"Honey come back to bed, I'm sure it was just that damn cat." Her father's voice whispered in the darkness. Theodora let her breath come out in spurts as her parent's door closed behind her mother. Speeding past the bathroom she didn't even bother to brush her teeth or take out her contacts, the risk was too great and she knew she wouldn't be sleeping that night anyway. Her excitement was too great for the summer days lying ahead of her. No more high school and college was too far off for her to begin feeling nervous. Slipping inside of her room she silently shut the door and leaned against the cool stained wood. She left the light switch untouched and stripped, leaving her purse and jeans intertwined on the floor as she simply fell on top of her bed.

The night hadn't been much, her best friend Sarah and her had spent the first few hours burning their old tests and work packets from the school year, and then jumped into Sarah's father's car to catch a chick film. It had been about some woman living in New York falling for her arrogant boss, and had been much like the night, not much. Theodora probably shouldn't have missed her curfew; she and Sarah had debated leaving the empty theater early in order to make the 12 o'clock deadline. In the end it had been more about simply acting out than for any other reason. She'd given her parents 18 years of her love and steady devotion and she figured one night staying out till 2 was not going to be a big wup.

As the night passed Theodora kept her eyes to the open window closest to her bed, attempting the impossible task of numbering the stars. Hours ticked by restlessly as Theodora switched positions occasionally; angling her long body this way and that thinking of everything she wanted to do in the upcoming months. There was the Renaissance Festival with Sarah, a four year tradition, and if she could a first kiss would be nice. Sarah and Theodora had discussed it over and over again and, both good girls by nature had decided this would be the summer of breaking the rules. Staying out past curfew had just been the start. What lay before the both of them was a potential spring fling, going to keggers, and Theodora's ultimate goal of losing her virginity. She had thought it over and over during the school year and had decided that the summer before college would be a perfect time to "pop her cherry" as Sarah always loved to call it. Long gone were her middle school fancies of giving herself away to the man of her dreams for her first time. She suspected her romantic prospects in life weren't that grand, and to be honest, she really just wanted to get it over with. Anyway from what she'd heard from Sarah, the first time wasn't that great anyway.

It was 4 am before Theodora began feeling her eyelids begin to droop and her thoughts slowed down from their frantic pace. The sound of crickets whispered in from her open window along with the occasional patter of the tires of a car passing her house. Knowing that her need of rest would eventually win out and she'd soon be asleep Theodora got up to go to the bathroom. She just couldn't handle the thought of sleeping with her contacts in, and her father being a dentist, going to bed without brushing ones teeth was considered sacrilege. About to close the bathroom door Theodora stopped when she saw her parent's door uncharacteristically left open. _Probably the cat_, Theodora thought dozily as she crept towards the open doorway to close it. Looking in, she noticed that her parent's bed was left empty; the cat lying sprawled across it like it was his own. _What the heck?_ Theodora stepped in the dark room, trying to ignore the feeling she was getting at the base of her spine. Something wasn't right. The cat James looked up at her and mewed as she passed the bed and went towards the master bathroom. The door was closed.

"Mom?" Theodora called softly through the wood door. Theodora could hear someone in there moving, but a lump growing at the back of her throat was telling her it wasn't her mother. "Papa?" Theodora cried silently as she backed out through the bedroom towards the hallway. Leaving the door open she moved quickly into her room and closed the door. Theodora grabbed her jeans and slid them on and collected her purse. In case there was more than one of whoever was in her parent's bathroom she opened her window to its height and carefully pulled her long frame out onto the roof. Letting herself one gaze at the master bathroom's window she shut the glass behind her and climbed higher onto the roof.

The night was dead silent, gone were the crickets song and her street lay dark without movement. Theodora sifted through her purse for her cell phone and once finding it she dialed the three numbers she'd never imagined herself ever calling. 9-1-1.

"Hello, Troy Police Department how may I serve you?" The operator asked in a cheerful matter.

"Hi. Um, I think there's someone in my house, in my parent's bedroom." Theodora said shakily, eyeing the distance between herself and the ground.

"And are your parents home Miss?"

"Yes they are, I don't know where they are though. Can you please send someone; I'm on the roof of my house."

"Of course. Address please."

"220 Tothill Lane" A few moments of silence engulfed the line and Theodora checked her phone to make sure she had a good connection.

"I'll send someone over right now. I'd say give them 20 minutes." The operator stated.'

"20 minutes? But what if someone's in there with my Mom and Dad?" Theodora nearly cried, the panic beginning to hit her.

"Just sit tight Miss." The line snapped with finality as her cell phone lost its connection. Theodora silently closed her cell phone and placed it next to her on the faintly warm roof. Not the way she'd imagined her summer beginning. Theodora's mind raced with worst-case-scenarios as she sat poised on her house. Oh God, and just this night she'd defied them by skipping her curfew. The thought that her disobedience had caused this all to happen couldn't help floating through her mind.

"Theodora?" A voice called through the darkness. Theodora froze, she didn't recognize the voice. It was male, low and gruff and definitely coming from the window. She didn't answer as it called again.

"Theodora?" A figure appeared next to her bedroom window moving towards her. It stopped when it saw her and Theodora couldn't make out the face.

"Leave me alone." She called out weakly, scooting away on her knees. The figure crawled slowly closer until the light of the moon let her make out the face. Male, 50ish, with black hair streaked with grey. Definitely not the look of a murderer or rapist. Not even a thief, the man looked like he belonged in a library or at a university discussing lost cultures of the Fertile Crescent with a bored class looking up at him. The man inched closer till she could make out his dress. White oxford, black pants, black blazer- the look of a scholar. But what scholar would be on her roof at 4 in the morning?

"I won't hurt you, I just wanna talk." The man said, holding his hands up to show he was unarmed.

"Bullshit." Theodora spat. "That's what they always say in the movies! If you aren't here to hurt me what the fuck are you doing on my roof, and where are my parents?" The man gazed at her impatiently then seemed to search the skies for something. Sitting back on his haunches he let out a deep, creaking breath.

"My names John Constantine." He stated as if it was supposed to mean something to her.

"I didn't ask you your name; I asked you what the fuck you are doing on my roof! Where are my mom and dad?" Theodora nearly screeched, she couldn't help the little girl come out of her at a time like this.

"I've been watching you a long time you know. Since you were born. You know you were adopted?" He said with faint sadness as he looked out at her lawn.

"How the hell do you know I was adopted?" Suddenly a horrible thought came to Theodora's mind as she sat glaring at the stranger. "Are you the one who killed my parents?" The man flinched when she asked him this.

"No Theodora, I didn't kill your parents. They asked me to look after you." This, Theodora couldn't believe.

"Leave me alone." She said throatily, her voice low and deadly. Moving fast she got to her feet and raced to the side of the roof above the garage. Almost as if he had predicted the move, the man was next to her gripping her wrist.

"Please Theodora, let me explain." His grip tightened as she leaned out towards the edge.

"Leave me alone!" She screamed, each moment bringing her closer to hysterics. Using her nails she fought at his grip, lifting his sleeve from his wrist enough to reveal a dark tattoo.

"Theodora, please, you're going to hurt yourself." His earnest concern let Theodora use it against him.

"If you don't want me to get hurt let me go!" She increased her energy but his grip only tightened. In all and out panic Theodora stepped out over the edge and felt herself drop. He never let go, gazing down at her she saw the strain her weight was having upon him. "Let me go!" She whispered through pressed lips.

"No, you'll fall!" The man cried as he tried to lift her up to the safety of the roof. Using her bare feet she kicked against the side of garage and launched all her weight out from the roof. With a silent scream the man followed her down, falling towards the pavement.

**See where I'm going with this? No? Well, I'll be making my intentions clear in the next few chapters.**


	2. French Impressionists

John Constantine sat staring at a Monet print in his cheap hotel room off Woodward Avenue. If he were to look out the window his view would be of rain-slicked streets and a grey cemetery. But he wasn't looking up anytime soon; his thoughts were elsewhere, another time, another place. 18 years ago to be exact. When he'd made a pact with the devil, not for his soul, it had taken him too long to regain it, but rather for something Lucifer himself couldn't afford to pass by. The deal? Constantine would stop his life's work. Exorcisms, sending half breeds back to Hell, it would all stop if Lucifer would give him back what he wanted the most. His child, the child he had been forced, along with others, to destroy. Lucifer had been all too happy to agree. What was it to him, one child in order to have John Constantine out of his hair?

In all reality Constantine never thought he would regain his child. He never thought his work, what he did, impacted Lucifer's goal so much he'd be willing to bargain. All too willing. When he'd first held his reborn daughter in his hands he couldn't contain his grief, in that age of his life he'd cried more than any man had the right to. He'd lost his unborn child, his younger sister, and Angela all in one night. _Angela_. The name to this day stirred in him feelings he wish he could bury. But his love for her was resilient, and even though he hadn't spoken, touched her since that night so many years ago he could still remember every curve of her body, the ironic way in which she always spoke to him.

He hadn't told Angela their daughter was alive. He'd simply taken her from the Devil's hold and hopped a greyhound to Detroit where he knew some people more suitable for raising her then he ever would be. Not once during the days long drive had Theodora cried.

A heaven half breed and his human wife, posing as a dentist in the suburbs of Detroit, unable to have children, and the right people to care for his daughter. Since that day when he'd left Theodora in their care he'd had no interaction with her. He wouldn't allow himself the pleasure, the risk was too great. John Constantine had many enemies, many of which would love to get their hands on his only daughter. It was the same reason he's left Angela. He'd already caused her so much pain. Occasionally he'd go back to LA to speak with Midnite, or to watch Angela. It seemed as if she'd forgotten about him, she had married, had children. Watching her playing happily with her young son in the front yard was to Constantine punishment for what he'd given himself. His life with Angela, so different from the one he led now, had been the best days of his life. And it had caused others so much misery.

Unlike her mother Constantine never watched Theodora from a rental car. He wasn't worthy to have his daughter, to even behold her sight. He hadn't watched her first try at riding a bike, her first word, the time she won the County spelling-bee. He had never allowed himself to be any part of her existence. Until last night. Benedict Harrison, his daughter's foster father, had called him a week ago sounding panicked. Someone had tried to break into his house and something about it hadn't been right. Theodora wasn't at home, she'd been sleeping over at a friend's house, but Benedict had had a feeling the intruder wasn't in his house for appliances. Constantine didn't delay he bought a single ticket to Detroit and rented a room at this shabby motel, his home for a week. Every day he'd circle the ranch looking for anything suspicious, he barely let himself sleep. It had felt for awhile that perhaps all was well. There hadn't been any paranormal activity, and the nights were as calm as the days. Last night he had slept in too late, by the time he got to the house he could sense something was wrong. Once inside he had rushed to his daughter's room and pressed his ear to the door. He didn't hear anything and trusted his powers would aware him if anything was wrong. Moving along, he entered the bedroom Benedict shared with his wife Amy. Nothing. The room had been empty, the windows open letting in a slight breeze, the bed empty. No sign of struggle, or even an attack. But the master bathroom had been a different story. Everything he read about the room spelled out death. There were no bodies, no blood, but he knew his daughter's foster parents were dead. Fearing the worst he had ripped through the upstairs to his daughter's room. Finding it empty he rushed to the window and gone out. Holding his breath he had called out the name the angel Benedict had given her. And then he had seen her, bare-footed, lone and lean. She looked like him; he had realized when he first got a good look at her. Same pale skin, same long frame. But she had Angela's eyes. Not his black ones, but Angela's warm brown eyes, capable of so much expression. And Angela's lips, the same ones he'd kissed a thousand times in his dreams.

On a warm black roof, two dead already that night, John Constantine had met his 18 year old daughter for the first time. And when she spoke to him it was with fear, and that hurt. With every biting word Constantine had flinched inside. But there had been something familiar with the sarcastic way she treated her fear and anger. _Adrianna_. Theodora may have her father's complexion and build, her mother's face, but she had Adrianna's tone and manner.

_It had been like seeing a ghost_

And the impression of that night was still reverberating through his mind as he sat concentrating on a water-stained print of the greatest French impressionist. Theodora stirred in the bed beside the chair which he sat, watching over her and tossing about in his mind old memories and thoughts. His first impulse was to reach out to her, calm her nightmares. But he knew better, he had already tied her to the bed, so afraid that he might doze off and she would awake and escape.

_Theodora's eyes fluttered open in a daze of panic. Where was she? Where her parents alright? What about the strange man from her roof?_ She looked down from the crumbling ceiling, and seeing the man sitting next to her felt the need to thrash about. Instead she sat quietly, contemplating his steady gaze. His eyes seemed so familiar, a dark blackness that there appeared no end to. And the tattoos she had seen the night before… so familiar, but the memory was still too distant for her to comprehend.

"I'll get you some tea." Constantine whispered, trying on his most soothing voice. Theodora nodded, and tried to raise her body. _He had tied her down!_ Constantine noticed the look on her face, "I didn't want you to leave before giving me time to explain some things, here, let me undo them." With steady hands he undid the chaffing ropes and Theodora sat up against the wall, rubbing her rope burns. He tried to smile at her as he threw the ropes in a corner, but seeing the glare painted across her pale face, set back to heating water in the complementary microwave. "So how are you feeling, you took a nasty fall. Actually broke the fall for me."

"How long was I out?" Theodora questioned, scanning the seedy motel room for a quick exit. She was willing to hear him out, he didn't seem too dangerous, and frankly she was a bit curious, but just in case she wanted to keep her options open.

"Here you are, green tea. Ever since I quit smoking, again, and drinking I've taken to tea. Green teas got a lot of antioxidants for fighting diseases…"

"You're my father aren't you?" Theodora stated more than asked, matching his surprised look with her own. She hadn't even considered it, but the words had just slipped out. Quickly hiding her astonishment, she went back to attempting "playing it cool". Constantine nearly spilled the piping hot tea all over himself, but recovered in time to hand it over to her before he caused himself some damage.

"No, your parents-" She cut him off before he could continue.

"Give me more credit Mr. Constantine, I'm a smart girl, valedictorian of my school in fact. You don't seem like the kind of guy who would dote and worry on just any girl."

"Well… it could be part of my act. Get you to trust me."

"Who said anything about me _trusting_ you? I don't trust any man who deserts their child." Theodora sipped her tea as she played with him. Time to get some answers.

"I didn't desert you!"

"What would you call it then? A drawn out babysitting?" Constantine eyed his now grown daughter and felt more like smiling than anything. His own daughter, valedictorian of her school, and playing with the great John Constantine like he was a toy, he was proud.

"Things were complicated back then," He tried to explain, but Constantine could hear himself groping for words.

"Then by all means, explain to me how I came about the last name Harrison." Theodora's calm and sarcasm were beginning to break away. If this really was her father, a man she thought dead, what was she supposed to do? It wasn't like she was a kid any more; she was supposed to be going to U of M next year on scholarship. What would she do if all his answers to her questions lined up, made sense? What if she began to believe him more than she already did?

"I think you should rest now." Constantine said, taking her empty mug.

"No. I want to know why you left me." She whispered harshly at his turned back. Constantine scrunched his shoulders together and turned about slowly. He saw the single tear threading its way down her cheek, the pain in her eyes, and he wanted more than anything to make things go back to the way they were a week ago. Before she knew he even existed.

"It isn't that you've had a bad life. You liked your mother and father; I believe I did the right thing." He sat down next to her, to be near her, but she scooted away from him.

"I love my mother and father. But I've always known they weren't my parents, even before they told me my parents had been killed. I saw it. I looked nothing like them. I look like you." Constantine nodded slowly.

"Ask me a question then. Any, and I'll answer you."

"Why did you leave me?" Constantine threw her a sad smile.

"Lets leave that one for last shall we…"

**oh a cliffhanger... not really. I was so interested by the concept of Constantine having a daughter, especially one likeTheodora I just needed to create her. Perhaps later I'll write down Adrianna's story, I just loved her, so much fun to write as a character :) **

**Please send me comments, they really do help me. and sometimes give me ideas.**


	3. Alright

"Alright, I can play that way." Theodora spat as she stood and began pacing to and fro across the small room. Constantine kept his eyes on her, watching her gracefully stretch her legs. "Do I have a mother- I mean, is she alive?"

"Alive and well."

"What's her name? Where does she live? I gather you two aren't still together."

"Sadly no. Her name is Angela Dodson and she lives in LA with her 14 year old son and husband." Constantine tried to not sound pained as he spoke of Angela, but he knew it was painfully obvious in his voice. "Losing you, well our relationship couldn't last it."

"So she made another family. Did you?"

"No, you are all I have."

"So I have a dad, a mom, a step-dad, and a half-brother."

"I suppose so." Theodora pondered this for awhile, leaving the room in silence.

"Why Mr. and Mrs. Harrison of Troy, Michigan?"

"I thought you'd be safe there…Apparently I was wrong."

"Were you and my father friends?"

"No, not really. I don't really have many friends Theodora."

"Wonder why…" Constantine looked up from his clutched hands to witness a short-lived grin dance across her face. Now that was the Angela in her talking. "So, you left me here. Did you have any intention of coming back?"

"No, I never intended to come back, ever. Unless you were in danger."

"How did you know I was in danger? I suspect my parents are dead, am I correct in making that assumption?" Constantine nodded. And Theodora left herself a few moments to collect her emotions. "Am I also correct in saying you had nothing, nothing to do with it?" Constantine hesitated.

"Me being your father has put you in danger, you were put there simply by being born. That's why I left you, to hopefully protect you. In giving you to your parents I jeopardized them from the beginning. So, yes, I was in essence a factor in their deaths."

"And you kept in contact with my father, to know I was safe?"

"No, I figured it was safer if I stopped any contact. But about a week ago I got a call, your house had been broken into and something about it didn't feel right to your father. So I came." The room once again sunk into a silence as Theodora sat at the end of the bed, her head in her hands. "Perhaps you should rest." Constantine spoke slowly from behind her.

"No, no, no, I'm fine. I just need some time to process."

"Would you like some more tea?"

"And my mother, Angela. She, just let you take me?" Constantine chose his words carefully, trying not to delve too deeply before Theodora had time to rest.

"Not really."

"What does that mean? It's more of a yes or no question."

"I can't really give you a yes or no answer. She doesn't know I took you, she didn't even know you were alive."

"What? My mother, Angela, thinks I'm dead?"

"Not dead, more like never existed." Theodora looked back at Constantine and gave him an odd look he couldn't read.

"Is she crazy?"

"Not usually."

"On drugs?"

"Never."

"Then what? How does my mother not know I exist, ever existed?"

"You should rest."

"Will you STOP TELLING ME THAT!" Theodora screamed as she came to stand before him.

"I suppose for you to understand what made me do what I did, you need to see the world as I do. What if I told you God and the devil made a pact, for the souls of all man kind?"

"I'd tell you you were fucking crazy." There was his Angela talking, Constantine smiled.

"No interaction, contact. Only influence through human/other wordly beings. I call them half breeds. There are half angels and have demons-" Theodora interrupted him.

"You are INSANE!"

"Your father, regular guy right?" Instantly Theodora's mind clouded over. _One touch and he could calm her. _Her father had called it his 'little gift'.

"My father was a "half breed"?" Theodora made quotation marks with her fingers as she said the two words.

"I wouldn't trust my daughter with anything that couldn't protect her. Your father was part angel."

"My mother?"

"Completely human. Look, this is going to be a long talk, perhaps you should sit down." Fully stunned Theodora plopped right down in front of Constantine on the motel carpet and looked up at him with a strange look pasted across her face.

"So God and Satan made a pact, what about it?"

"Everything. It was for human souls; see who could conquer the most."

"Like some sort of _game_!"

"Exactly how I see it."

"And where do you fit into all of this?"

"I'm an exorcist." Constantine said carefully. Theodora nearly laughed out loud.

"Like the movie?"

"Sort of…" She gave him a bemused look.

"Ok, well… where do you fit in? Explain to me how this pact made you leave me with a half angel."

"That's where it gets complicated."

"Oh, right. Like it wasn't before!"

"I left you with your parents to protect you."

"So you said." Theodora said, getting impatient.

"I suppose I should begin by saying that you were never intended to be born- actually in all honesty, you weren't you were given to me."

"Given to you?"

"Let me just get this all out Theodora before you ask any questions or call me insane again." Theodora slammed her mouth shut on her next question. "In the world of exorcisms, I was a major player, I put a lot of demons back in hell. So you could say I was public enemy number one for the vast majority of hell denizens. When Angela found out she was pregnant I was told you were not human, that somehow instead of you there was a demon. And we exorcized it, actually my sister did, she died doing it. When it was all over I made a pact with Lucifer that if her gave you back to me, well, I'd quit sending his wayward minions back to hell. Stop interjecting in his business." A silence once again settled over the small room, the only sound the occasional passing of cars. Theodora looked thoughtful, her bright eyes slightly glazed over- thinking what he had said through.

"Say I believe you- which I'm in NO hurry to do, but say I see this as not just crazy talk. You gave human lives over for me."

"I never looked at it like that."

"What if I was never intended to exist? What if that was how things were supposed to go down, according to God and, whoever. Your sister was supposed to die, you and Angela were supposed to separate, and I was never supposed to be alive. What then? What if there was something you were supposed to do, that the bargain you made now makes it impossible for you to do?"

"I had already lost so much that day; I couldn't loose you as well."

"What are you talking about? You don't even know me; in essence you lost me anyway. If you were so desperate to gain something back why didn't you ask for your sister's life?"

"Adrianna is in hell."

"So?"

"Adrianna was an exorcist as well, nearly put as manydown thereas I did. He never would have let her go, never. He considers people like my sister a trophy." Constantine examined his daughter, she looked tired and sad. And bringing about too many questions he'd ignored all these years. Why hadn't he tried for Adrianna? _He never would have let her go._ "You should rest." Constantine said again gently. Theodora glared up at him. "Well then you can watch me sleep, I'm tired." He got up off the bed and plopped down hard on the small sofa. Using his jacket as a blanket he turned his back to the room and closed his eyes. Let her run if she wanted, it was her choice in the end.

"You can have the bed if you want." Theodora said as she stood up and sat on the edge of the bed, feeling tired but too overwhelmed to sleep.

"No, by all means it's comfy on this couch."

"You're too long for it." Theodora said skeptically. Constantine didn't reply, devoting all his energies to trying to sleep. "Constantine," Theodora whispered shakily. Constantine turned his head slightly so he could see her crumpled figure from the corner of his eye. She looked like hell, and he could see she was on the verge of tears. He was asking her to handle a lot, but Constantine liked to think she was taking this all very well. "What am I going to do?" Constantine gave her question some thought.

"I don't know Theodora. What I'm going to do is find who killed your parents and pay them a call."

"Are you going to kill them?" She asked. The tears she was now shedding apparent in her breaking voice.

"Goodnight Theodora." Constantine ignored the question. He didn't know if he'd be able to destroy what had killed her parents. If he went against his bargain Lucifer may try and take Theodora back from him.

**hmm... some interesting questions, no? Please keep reviewing, especially if ya have any ideas you'd like to share :)**


	4. Fatherhood

Theodora slammed the hallow motel door shut and dropped her torn backpack in the corner on her way to the bathroom.

"Don't…" John Constantine tried to prevent the inevitable, but Theodora slammed the bathroom door to add to the disruption.

"What?" Theodora's muffled voice asked from behind the shaking door.

"I was going to ask you to not slam the door."

"Oh, sorry." She shouted over the flushing toilet as she emerged.

"Did you wash your hands?" Constantine asked without looking up from his notes concerning the Harrison residence. He heard Theodora emit a slight hiss as she backtracked into the bathroom. Beneath his breath he chuckled to himself, to think they had only been together a few days and already his paternal instinct was becoming evident. Theodora returned wiping her wet hands across her pants with annoyance plastered across her face.

"And before you ask, no I wasn't followed." Theodora said sarcastically as she collected her book-bag and set it next to her on the bed. Tearing open the zipper she threw a bag across the dimly lit room where it hit Constantine on the shoulder before landing on the stained carpet. Without so much as a flinch Constantine reached over from where he sat perched on the couch and retrieved his dinner. His eyes still on the notes he'd taken before the murder of the Harrison's he unrolled the slightly damp Wendy's bag and dug into his now-cold fries. Theodora spread her burger and fries across the wrapper, bit open a ketchup packet and sprayed it across her food.

"You were gone for some time." Constantine interrupted the silence with his parentally comment of the day. Theodora rolled her eyes and glared at his hunched figure, still intent on the scribbled notes.

"I was busy."

"Where?" Constantine followed up.

"A crack house." Constantine stopped squinting down at his handwriting to eye his teenage daughter. "Where do you think I was? The only place you ever let me go beside Wendys, I was at the library."

"You could have called."

"You can't afford the phone bill and I didn't have any loose change." Theodora answered as she took a bite from her burger.

"Point taken." Constantine returned to his work, flipping pages in a reference book beside him as he kept his other hand to mark a place in his notes.

"Actually I was going to go back there after dinner." Constantine looked at his wristwatch and then back down to his work.

"The library has already closed."

"Well that's just it, the librarian there- she, or he, I can't quite place it- likes me a ton and said if I ever needed it I could stay past closing. She thinks I'm a college student working on a term paper."

"Sounds like the basis for a horror movie."

"Constantine, it's a library!" Constantine looked up at her and smiled. "No, no, no. No more tales of horrible things happening where I'd least suspect it, so you battled in a library once. I doubt the one time I walk into one past closing time it'll turn into Ghostbusters."

"It's not a good idea." Constantine said carefully, all too aware that Theodora didn't quite trust his authority yet and not wanting her to rebel.

"Look, besides the point that you have no say over what I do or do not do, your protection is boring me to tears! If things keep playing out as they have boredom'll kill me before any monster does."

"We'll both go then." Constantine said, gathering up his books and scraps of paper.

"If you haven't noticed I kinda go there to get away from you," Constantine flinched at her words but continued to pack up his work. "Ugh. Fine, come and ruin my escape." Theodora crumpled up the remnants of her dinner and shot for the garbage can across the room, missing only by an inch. "Damn."

**I know, a little short but after a huge break from writing fanfic I need to start slowly.**


	5. Destroy Her

The walk was brisk and silent, the only noise Theodora's sneakers slipping across the rain-slicked pavement. Eight steps behind her father followed with his senses spread across their path, searching for anything out of place. Cutting through deserted properties and parks they cut the time it took to get to the library in half, and entered the musty building five minutes after they had left the motel.

"Library's closed," came a soft voice from the distance. Following his daughter, Constantine turned the corner and walked towards a rather important looking desk made of mahogany. With his back to them the librarian shuffled through a shelf of books tagged with reservations and notes.

"It's just me." Theodora said to his back.

"Ah! Theodora!" The figure excitedly said as he turned to face her, yet his excitement didn't last for long. Looking past Theodora the librarian scowled at Constantine. "And I see you brought a guest,"

"Oh, yeah" Theodora shrugged. "This is my, uh, friend." Constantine ignored the comment and squinted towards the unhappy librarian. It was obvious he had wanted Theodora alone, which worried him. That partnered with the fact that Constantine sensed he had bumped into this person before made him uneasy and eager to see the mysterious stranger up close and in the light.

"A _friend_?" The librarian nearly hissed, "I dare say you two look like father and daughter." The words hit Constantine instantly; the stranger evidently knew Theodora and his connection and was brave enough to flaunt it. Passing his daughter in a few long strides he was pressed against the front of the massive desk looking eye to eye with the librarian. A cold, calculating smile grew across the librarian's face as Constantine's recognition set in.

"I always wondered what happened with you Gabriel." Constantine spat before he flung his long frame over the top of the desk, pushing the ex-angel against the stacks of books. Clutching his neck Constantine lifted Gabriel and tightened his hold till the half-breed struggled for life. "Why are you here Gabriel, you piece of shit."

"It can't talk if you hold the windpipe too hard." Theodora interjected from behind them, walking towards the scene till she was leaning against the desk. Constantine eased up on Gabriel's throat but kept him with his feet off the ground.

"How did you know about Theodora?" Constantine pressed. The ex-angle smiled,

"Oh, did you really think you could hide her forever John? Such an ego."

"Who knows about her, who told you?"

"Rumors, there have been such rumors since you disappeared from the city of Angels. What brought me here was my knowledge of you, what brought others was the idea of her existing."

"What do you mean by that?"

"The devil returned your child to you!" Gabriel laughed before Constantine's hold shut him up.

"So he did, and?"

"Come now John, you simply must have been too absorbed in your grief to realize something. His ungodliness has no rule in heaven; he could never release a soul from heaven. Which could only mean one thing, your daughter was never in heaven. Between the point of when Adrianna destroyed her and when she was returned to you Theodora resided in hell."

"Lies." Constantine viciously whispered as he tightened his hold. Gabriel's fingernails racked across Constantine's flesh in panic as he choked the life out of him.

"Stop it!" Theodora screamed, tears streaming down her ruddy face. Her fists founded against Constantine's back, her feet kicked the backs of his knees till he released Gabriel into a clump on the floor. Rubbing his throat, Gabriel inched away from Constantine eyeing him with fear and hatred.

"You were blinded by your own grief and you never considered what you've done. Adrianna died because of this _thing_ you call a daughter, she was never supposed to have existed!" Gabriel spat from between clenched teeth. Constantine eyed the figure on the floor then turned his head to Theodora. Her fists were clenched at her sides and she shook with unshed tears.

"Stop it." Theodora whispered.

"Don't you see what you've done John? Harrison knew it to, she's not right, and she killed him! Her own family, she brutally murdered them! Harrison thought she could be conditioned to live right, but you see where that got him?"

"Stop it." Theodora repeated.

"She must be destroyed. Adrianna knew that, why can't you realize that?"

"Stop,"

"Destroy her John." Gabriel commanded with his eyes intent on Constantine.

"**Stop!**" Theodora screamed as she charged Gabriel's recovering form. With one sneaker to his gut she stunned and trapped him beneath her weight, and with a jerk she took his head in her hands and snapped his neck.


	6. The Necromancer

**Well its been a while and I may be a tad rusty, nevertheless enjoy!**

"Holy fuck" Theodora looked down at the snapped neck between her hands. Slowly she raised them to her face to stare in awe; these hands had just taken a life. Constantine came up beside his daughter and took her hands in his.

"Are you all right?" Concern rang in his gruff voice, but his eyes revealed something deeper than concern for her wellbeing. He was worried he had been wrong. Theodora tore her pulsing hands from his and leaned up against the cool library desk. She had just taken a life, had her father been wrong to bring her back? A million horrible questions spun through her head until Constantine gently placed his warm hand on her shoulder. Slowly he turned her around to face him. His expression had become unreadable. "I think you need some answers." Constantine was leading them to the double doors of the library when she suddenly stopped. She could bring him back. The thought was impossible, but somehow she knew she could. Moving quickly she hopped over the mahogany desk next to the still-warm body.

"I can bring you back." She whispered to the dead librarian, less to assure him than to assure herself.

"Theodora," Constantine peered over the high desk down at her cradling Gabriel.

"I can, I will." Theodora said with resolve, stroking the dead angel's flushed cheeks, her shed tears dotting his face. Gabriel looked as if he were just sleeping, laying in Theodora's lap as she stroked his hair and hummed. Constantine went around behind the desk and knelt opposite his daughter.

"Theo-" he stopped his words abruptly when he caught sight of his daughter's eyes. Her eyes were completely black and she began to rock back and forth, repeating something under her breath. The climate of the room became stuffy and the smell of sulfur rose from somewhere unknown. Constantine's senses pricked unpleasantly as Theodora's chanting grew louder. Hell-speak. He scooted away as Gabriel's body began to radiate a scorching heat and take on an unearthly glow. The room's temperature dropped radically and astonished, Constantine realized he could see Gabriel's breath. The fallen angel's eyes flew open with his mouth and a rattling breath escaped his white lips. The lights of the room flickered uncontrollably before finally draping the three in black. Constantine flew back hard against the wall and his daughter released some sort of banshee call. Gabriel scurried away from Theodora in horror, a life restored. Constantine barely caught her limp form in his arms as she passed out.

"A necromancer." Gabriel hissed, looking down at Theodora with revulsion. She was so cold, every vein stark against her lucid skin.

"Get me some blankets!" Constantine roared "or I'll send you back to the place she saved you from." Gabriel moved slowly towards the back office, his eyes ever-watching Theodora's still form. "I need a car, now."

"She'll never survive the drive to L.A. if that's where you are thinking on taking her." Gabriel said as he handed Constantine a grey blanket reeking of mildew.

"Then I need a phone." Gabriel gestured towards the office. "Stay with her, and don't try anything." Constantine laid Theodora's head gently on the scuffed wood floor and made his way purposefully towards the phone. Slowly Constantine dialed one of the few numbers he had ever memorized and listened impatiently to it ring.

"Hello?" Midnight called pleasantly from the other end. Never had Constantine been so relieved to hear the witch doctor's voice.

"Midnight, I need your help."

**Sorry so short, I'm warming up :)**


End file.
